Electrically-operated valve.



P. A. BROWN.

ELEGTRIGALLY OPBRATBD VALVE.

APPLICATION FILBDOOT. 18, 190

9%.?22. 9 Paten-nea @0114,1910.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

I ff" P. A. BROWN.

BLEGTRIGALLY OPBRATBD VALVE. APPLIoATroN FILED 00T. 1a, 1909.

Patented 0st. 4, 1910,

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

PEABODY A. BROWN, or DENVER, coLoRAno.

ELECTRICALLY-OPERATED VALVE..

ermee.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed October 18,v 1909. Serial No. 523,191.

To all whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, PEABODY A. BROWN, a citizen of the UnitedA States of America, residing inthe city and county of Denver and State of Colorado, have invented a new and useful ElectricallyOperated Valve, of

. which the following is a specification.

l This ,invention relates to improvements 1u electrically operated valves, and particular'ly to a style of valve which may be operated by any suitable pressure, such as steam,

water or air, and which is adapted for use 1n connection with alarm and slgnalwhistles, ventilating devices and radiators.

The object of the invention is to provide. a suitable casing having a resilient diaphragm, which normally closes a port or inlet connected with a supply of fluid under presrsure` which Huid is also admitted abovethe diaphragm so as to act upon its whole area, and thereby overcome the pressure from be'- neath, electrically operated means being employed for opening an outlet whereby the: pressure above the said diaphragm is re` lieved, thereby permitting the pressure fluids from beneath to raise the said diaphragm and escape through an outlet pipe to operate a whistle or enter a radiator or perform any otherfunction .for whichthe valve may be employed, the operation of said valve being effected automatically when the valve is used in connecticn with radiators, ventilating devices and the like. This object is accomplished by the device illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which-w Figure 1 is a plan view of the improved valve. Fig. 2 is a vertical., sectional View through the same. Fig. 3 is a side view of the valve, showing the opening for the main outlet pipe, which is omitted. Fig. 4 is a plan view of the lower half of the valve casing.- Fig. 5 is a side view illustrating the application of the valve for regulating the steam supply of a radiator. Fig. 6 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the manner of electrically and automatically controlling the operationof the valve and Figf is a sectional view of a needle valve for con trolling the admission of pressure fluid above the valve diaphragm.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, the numeral 1 indicates a metal casing, comprising a circular dish shaped member 2 and a concavo-conveX-member 3, which forms a cover for the member 2. These members are 'formed with flanges 4 and 5respectively,

istering bolt holes, through which bolts 6 are passed to clamp the membersA together. The bottom of the member 2 is provided .with an axial hub 7 the upper end of which ,isflush with the flange 4, while the lower y 4end thereof extends a short distance below the bottom of the member and is internally threaded. l Before themembers 2 and 3 are bolted together, a diaphragm 8 is placed .upon 'the member 2, andthe cover Sis then Fatentcd Unt. t, 1910.

" -which are provided with a plurality of regbetween the two members by the bolts 6, the

diaphragm being provided with holes corresponding to the holes in the flanges 4 and 5. This diaphragm may be cut from a fiat sheet of material, but it is preferably formed with a Vplurality of concentric corrugations 9, which give it a greater resiliencey than lit would otherwise possess. The central portion of the diaphragm, which is left Hat, restsupon the rim of the hub 7, and normally seals it. A pipe 10` is screwed into the lowerend of the hub '7, and the oppositeend of this pipe connects with a source of Huid under pressure, as steam or compressed air.

A branch pipe 11, of smaller diameter than the pipe 10, is tapped into said pipe 10 at any convenient point, and its upper end rece-ives an elbow 12, provided with an ordinary needle valve 13, and a pipe 14 connects vthe elbow with an inletaperture 15, which extends through a lug 16 on the cover 3 and into the space or compartment 17 above the diaphragm and formed by the said diaphragm and cover 3. Thus, while the pressure fluid, which will henceforth be considered steam, acts upon an area of the under side of the diaphragm, defined bythe internal diameter of the hub 7, the entire upper surface of the diaphragm'is acted upon by steam under the same boiler pressure as is directed against' the smaller area of the under side of the diaphragm; therefore, the greater pressure above the diaphragm normally holds the same against the hub.

The bottom of the member 2 of the casing i is formed with a concentric ring 18, which engages the under side of the diaphragm and supports the same sufficiently to prevent its being torn away around the inner edge of the ,flange 4 by the pressure of the steam. A lug 19 is formed on the bottom of the casing, which is provided with an outlet aperture`20, which communicates with the space or compartment 21, beneath the diaphragm.

rlhe aperture 2O is threaded for a. suflicient distance from its outer end to receive an outlet pipe 22, which may connect with a radiator, a whistle, a Ventilating device or any other appliance which the' valve is designed to control, .and while the valve is illustrated in connection with a. radiator it will be'. understood that it is designed to be employed in operating or controlling any of the above mentioned devices or in any other capacity where a valve of this character may be required. s

Centrally upon the top of the coverI 3 is formed a circular band or wall 23, which incloses a space or chamber 24, having a central'hub 25, which extends to a point iush with the wall 23, and through thishub` is formed a port 26, which communicates with the compartment 17, above the diaphragm 8. This port is normally closed by a diaphragm 2T, which is clamped upon the flanged rim of the wall23 by a, at ring 28, which is secured to the said flanged rim by screws 29.

At opposite points on the flange of the cover 3 and secured thereto by the bolts 6 are uprights or standards 30 and 3l, .to the upper ends of which are secured magnets 32 and 33 respectively, which stand in axial line with each other. An armature 34 is pivotally mounted upon the ring 28 in position to be attracted by the magnet 32, while an armature is also pivotally mounted upon the said ring in position to be attracted by the magnet 33. The armature 35 has an arm 36, which when said armature is not attracted by its magnet eX- tends to and contacts with the armature 34 and holds the same in engagement with the core of its magnet 32, and the arm 36 is provided with a depending lug 37, which normally rests upon the aXial center of the diaphragm 27. The arm 33 is normally held under pressure by a spring 438, which is held under tension between the upper horizontal member of a bracket 39, which is secured to the ring 28 and the head of a pin 40, which extends loosely through a sleeve 4l, secured to the said horizont-al member of the bracket 39. The head of the pin 40 rests upon the arm 36, in line with the lug 37, and under the tension of the spring 38 eX- erts a pressure upon the said diaphragm sufficient to overcome the pressure in the port26, communicating with the compartment 17, above the diaphragm 8.

An outlet pipe 42 extends from the chamber 24 and taps the pipe 22, at any convenient point, and this pipe is designed to permit the escape of steam from the chamber 17 =into the said pipe 22, when the diaphragm 27 is lifted by the pressure in the said chamber, as will be fully shown hereinafter, thereby relieving the pressure upon the diaphragm 8, which is then lifted by the pressure'in the pipe 10, permitting steam and outlet 20 and through the pipe 22 into Y a radiator or to effect the operation of any other device or mechanism with which the said valve is connected. The pipe 22 may lead to another boiler, and in this case, as well as in the case of its connection with a radiator, the pressure in the chamber .2l is always the same as that Ain* the radiator or the boiler, as the case may be, with which the pipe 22 is connected, and it is therefore apparent that the pressure in the pipe lO must always be greater than that in the chamber 2l, in order that steam may be iforced through the pipe 22 when the diaphragm 8 is lifted.

The opening of the port 2G is effected by the lifting of the arm 36, connected with the armature 35, and this armature is attracted to its magnet 33 by the closing of an electric circuit, which may be accomplished, at any distance, by means of a switch, a push button or a clock; and whentlius operated the magnet 32 may be dispensed with, but when the valve is employed for controlling a radiator or a Ventilating appliance, its action is accomplished automatically by connecting a suitable thermostat in circuit with the magnets, said thermostat being adapted to close a circuit through the magnet 33 when the temperature of the room falls to a predetermined degree, whereby steam is admitted toa radiator or a ventilator is closed, as the case may be; and when the temperature rises above a predetermined degree the said thermostat closes a circuit through the magnet 32 and simul- "taneously breaks the circuit through the magnet 33, whereby the arm 36 is released and forced by the spring 38 against the diaphragm 27, which closes the port 25.

Ilhe closing of the circuits is accomplished by mechanism which will now be described.

The armatures 34 and 35 are pivoted between ears 43 upon the fiat ring 28 by pins 44 and 45 respectively, one end ofeach pin being bent to form a right angled arm. These arms 46 and 47, respectively, have insulating blocks or plates 48 secured upon their eX- tremities, upon which are secured metal resilient contacts 49 and 50, respectively., The

Abracket 39 at its lower end is formed with extensions 51, having terminal contacts 52 and 53, which are adapted to be engaged respectively by the contacts 49 and 50, the said bracket 39 being insulated from the ring 28. One end 54 .of the winding of the magnet 32 is connected to the contact 49, while the other end 55 of said winding is connected to the hot pole or contact 56 ofa thermostat 57. One end 58 of the winding of the magnet 33 is connected to the contact 50, while the other end 59 is connect-ed to the cold pole or contact 60 of the thermostat. A. wire 6l l extends froml the bracket 39 to one pole of a battery 62, and a wire 63 extends from the other pole of the battery to the arm 64 of` two given points, say sixty-five and eighty degrees, the thermostat is arranged so that its arm 64 will engage either the contact 56 or 60, as the case may be, when the temperature in the room rises above eighty degrees or falls below sixty-five degrees. As illustrated in Fig. 2, the supply o f steam to the radiator is cut off by the pressure upbn the top of the diaphragm 8, and therefore the temperature in the room issomewhere between the' two predetermined points, and the arm of the thermostat is ina neutral position between the contacts 56 and 60. l/Vhen the temperature falls to sixty-live degrees the arm 64 of the thermostat engages the contact 60, and a circuit is closed through the battery and magnet 33 by means of wires 61,63, 58 andv 59 and contacts 50 and 53.4

rlhe magnet 33 is energized and attracts 'the armature 35, thereby lifting the arm 36 away from the diaphragm 27. rThe/pressure in the chamber 17 and port 26 then lifts the diaphragm 27 and `the steam from said chamber escapes through port 26 into the chain-f ber 24 and out through the pipe 42 to the pipe 22, the needle valve 13 being so regulated. that, the steam escaped through the port 26 faster than fresh steam is admitted through the pipe 14, thus reducing the pressure upon the upper side of the diaphragm 8 below the pressure from beneath. The diaphragm 8 is thus forced up and steam under boiler pressure enters the chamber 21 and passes through thev outlet 2O into the pipe 22 and to the radiator or other appliance. Simultaneously with the attraction of the ar'- mature 35 the contact 50 is lifted out of engagement with the contact 53 and the circuit is broken, but the arm 36 is held up out of engagement with the diaphragm 27 by the opposite armature 34, which is thrown forward by a spring 34A, so as to lie beneath the forward end of the said arm 36. The contact 49 on the pivot arm 46 of this armature now engages the contact 52 on the bracket 39, and the parts' remain inrthese positions untilv the temperature again rises to eighty degrees, when the thermostat arm engages the contact 56 and a circuit is closed through the battery and magnet 32 by means of wires 54, 55, 61 and 63 and the armature 34 is attracted to the magnet 32, thereby releasing the arm 36, which `is instantly forced down against the diaphragm 27 by the spring 38. When the armature 34 is attracted the circuit is again broken by the moving away of the contact 49 from the contact 52, but the armature 34 is held up by the forward end of the arm 36, so that its contact 49 remains out of engagement with the contact 52, and is thus prevented again closinthe circuit, and the parts remain thus until the temperature falls again.

From the foregoing it will be seen that a closed circuit is maintained only for an inietant, as each armature is attracted by its magnet, and that during the intervening periods t-he circuit is broken, and thus the life of the battery is not only greatly prolonged but the magnet coils are prevented from being burned out.

As an auxiliary means of seating the diaphragm 8 upon the hub 7, a disk or plate 67 is employed, which rests upon the central portion of the diaphragm and is held against the same, under resilient tension by springs 67A, which are secured to the disk and to the cover ,3.

Having described the improved valve, what l claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. ln a valve as specified, the combination with a casing, a resilient diaphragm dividing the casing into upper and lower compartments, each having an outlet, a seat in the axial center of the lower compartment nort branch pipe connecting the pressure supply pipe and the upper compartment, of a resilient cover for the outlet of the upper compartment, a spring-pressed arm for normally engaging the resilient cover to close the outlet, an armature connected with the spring-pressed arm, a magnet for the armature in circuitvwith a battery, means for automatically closing the circuit, whereby the armature is attracted by the magnet and the spring-pressed arm lifted from the resilient cover, and means for holding the arm away from the cover.

2. In a valve as specified, the combination with a casing, a resilient diaphragm therein dividing the casing into upper and lower compartments each having an outlet, a hub in the lower compartment upon which the diaphragm is normally seated, a pressure supply pipe connected with said hub and a branchl pipe connecting the pressure supply pipe with the upper compartment, of a diaphragm for closing the outlet of the upper compartment, spring-pressed arm for normally holding the diaphragm upon the outlet, an armature connected Vwith said arm and provided with a terminal contact, a magnet for said armature, a second magnet, an

armature therefor having a terminal contact, afconducting medium having terminal contacts adapted to be alternately engaged by the said armature contacts, a battery, a thermostat, wires connecting the battery and thermostat arm and the conducting medium and battery, wires connecting each magnet withthe adjacent armature contact and with one of the poles of the thermostat, said spring-pressed arm beingheld out of engagement with the diaphragm, after being lifted by its armature, by the opposite armature.

8. In a valve as speci'ed, the combination with a casing, a diphragm dividing the casing into two compartments, each having an outlet; a hub in the lower compartment upon which the diaphragmis normally seated; a circularwall surrounding the out-let of the upper compartment; pipes connecting said hub and the compartment above the diaphragm with a source of duid under pressure, and a diaphragm clamped to said circular wall for normally closing the outlet of the upper compartment, and a pipe leading from the inclosure formed by the circular wall and diaphragm; of means for normally holding said latter diaphragm upon its outlet, comprising a spring pressed arm, having an armature at one end and a contact insulated therefrom; a second armature in line with the first armature and having an insulated contact; a conducting medium having contacts in the paths of said armature;

magnets for said armatures; a battery; a`

thermostat; wires connecting the battery with the conducting medium and thermostat arm; wires connecting each magnet with the adjacent armature contact and with one of the thermostat poles, whereby a circuit is closed through the magnets alternately by the movement of the thermostat arm, and 'instantly broken by the disengagement of the contact of the attracted armature with the adjacent contact on the conducting medium, said spring pressed arm being adapted to engage and hold the said second armature against its magnet after the second armature has been attracted thereby to prevent the rengagement of its contact with the adjacent contact on the conducting medium, while the second armature is adapted to move beneath the end of the said spring pressed arm when the armature thereon has been attracted by its magnet, and hold it in engagement therewith for the same reason. and means for throwing said second armature beneath said arm.

4. ln a valve as specified, the combination pressure upon the top side of the diaphragm consisting of a spring-pressed plate, of a resilient cover for the outlet of the upper compartment, oppositely positioned armatures above said cover, an extension on one lof said armatures adapted to engage the other armature and a spring for normally holding said extension against the cover, magnets for said armatures, wires connecting said magnets in independent circuits with Aa battery, means for automatically closing said circuits in alternate order, a spring on the second-mentioned armature for throwing it forward under the extension of the other armature, when the latter is attracted by its magnet, and means connected with each armature for breaking the circuit through its magnet when attracted by the same.

5. In a valve as specified, a casing, a diaphragm dividing the casing into upper and lower compartments, each having an outlet, an inlet hub in the lower compartment, a pipeconnecting the hub with a pressure supply, said hub being normally seated by the diaphragm, a branch pipe connecting the pressure supply pipe with the compartment above the diaphragm, a seat surrounding the outlet of the upper compartment, a circular inclosure surrounding said seat, a diaphragm secured upon said inclosure so as to normally rest upon the seat, a springcontrolled arm for holding said diaphragm upon the seat, electrically operated means for lifting said arm to permit the pressure beneath the seat to escape into the chamber within the inclosure, a pipe extending from the outlet of the lower compartment'of the valve, and a pipe extending from the said outlet pipe to the said chamber within the inclosure.

ln testimony whereof I afhx my signature in presence of two witnesses.

PEABODY A. BROWN.

' Witnesses: R

G. SARGENT ELLIOTT, ADELLA M. FowLE.

llil 

